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Journalist Dean Jones says Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko’s leadership is ‘absolutely unbelievable’, and he has ‘incredible’ desire and technical ability.

The Lowdown: Instant impact

Zinchenko has made an instant impact since arriving from Manchester City in the summer, helping turn Arsenal from top-four hopefuls into Premier League title contenders.

The Ukraine international has made 27 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season, and has only missed one game where he has been available (Mikel Arteta.

The Latest: Zinchenko hailed

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has hailed Zinchenko’s leadership as ‘absolutely unbelievable’, and claims that he has an ‘incredible’ desire and technical ability:

“I think that Zinchenko’s leadership from that position is absolutely unbelievable.

“The desire he’s got matched with the technical ability has been incredible. What a signing he’s been for Arsenal.”

The Verdict: Great business

The deal to sign Zinchenko for a fee potentially totalling £32m looks like an absolute bargain by the day.

In their title-chasing season, the 26-year-old has ranked highly among the squad for average aerial duels won, tackles, clearances, interceptions, shots, passes and long balls per game in the Premier League (WhoScored).

The mentality that he has added to this side is emphasised by the facts that upon signing on the dotted line, Zinchenko said that he wanted to win titles, with Arsenal’s last top-flight trophy coming in 2004, and having finished fifth last season.

Indeed, Zinchenko won four Premier League titles with City before making the move to the Emirates Stadium, and the £150,000-per-week star could well add a fifth to his trophy cabinet by the end of the campaign.

Patrick Vieira’s sacking at Crystal Palace is not the only moving and shuffling behind the scenes at Selhurst Park, hints former Eagles midfielder Darren Ambrose.

The Lowdown: Vieira sacked as Palace manager

The Frenchman arrived as Palace boss back in the summer of 2021, in an appointment that was considered exciting at the time, especially given his pedigree as a player.

As time has gone on, however, Vieira has started to look more out of his depth and under pressure, with the Eagles failing to win any of their last 12 matches and not tasting victory in 2023 to date.

The 1-0 defeat away to rivals Brighton on Wednesday evening proved to be the final straw for the 46-year-old, who was officially relieved of his duties on Friday.

It means the search is now on to find Vieira’s successor as soon as possible, ensuring Palace don’t get themselves dragged into a genuine relegation battle in the Premier League.

The Latest: Ambrose reacts to news

Speaking to Sky Sports News on Friday morning, Ambrose hinted at some behind-the-scenes issues involving Shaun Derry, who departed in January amid rumours of a fall-out with the gaffer:

“The immediate reaction myself was shock, until I dug into it and looked at the real reasons. There are situations within the football club that hasn’t been fully released yet, like Shaun Derry, well not parting ways, but he’s on gardening leave at the moment.

“Who knows, he may return at some stage, but there just seems (to be) some kind of issues that were arising in the football club.”

The Verdict: Correct decision

While Palace fans have shown plenty of support for Vieira in recent months, as well as patience, performances and results have simply not been good enough for some time now.

The football on show has been bordering on unwatchable – the Eagles haven’t scored in their last four matches, dating back to the middle of February – and it is clear that a change was required before the team got themselves into real trouble.

The Derry side of things is intriguing, with the former midfielder joining Vieira’s staff in 2021 but then being placed on gardening leave on deadline day back in January.

Whether or not the situation surrounding him is anything to do with the sacking remains to be seen but reports of rumoured clashes with him did emerge following the move, adding fuel to the fire.

If everyone isn’t pulling in the same direction when it comes to the entire staff, it is so difficult to pick up positive results, and this potential bad blood may have proved fatal for Vieira.

Everton’s penchant over the last few years for spending vast amounts of money on players who simply haven’t performed on the pitch is staggering.

The likes of Theo Walcott, Allan, Moise Kean and Andre Gomes all arrived at Goodison Park to much fanfare and were expected to take the club to the next level, however, it didn’t work out like that.

All these players have subsequently left without leaving a positive mark, yet there is one big-money signing who is still at the Toffees yet has struggled to live up to the hype upon his arrival – Yerry Mina.

How much is Yerry Mina worth now?

The Colombian defender joined the Merseyside club having enjoyed a fantastic World Cup in 2018, where he became the first defender to score in his first three matches in the competition, although his country were knocked out by England at the last 16 stage.

Everton had seen enough to splash out £27.2m to sign him from Barcelona ahead of the 2018/2019 season and given his credentials, he looked as though he could become a rock at the heart of the club’s defence over the next few years.

It was a shaky start, with Mina playing just 13 Premier League matches in his debut season, missing 33 games in total due to a variety of injuries.

29 and 24 league appearances followed in his next two campaigns, however, since the beginning of 2021/2022, Mina has featured just 18 times across all competitions and thus has seen his value plummet.

According to Football Transfers, Mina is now worth just €12.8m (£11m) with that marking a massive drop from the near £30m the Toffees spent on him over four years ago.

Add the fact that he is earning £120k-per-week and it’s clear that his minimal contributions recently are draining money from the club which could be spent elsewhere and Sean Dyche may look to move him on this summer.

Noel Whelan criticised the player late last year, saying “on most days, he looks average” and with his contract expiring in a few months, he could well find his days numbered at Everton.

It hasn’t worked out for the 28-year-old at Everton, and his high transfer fee plus total wages may well have been utilised on other players who could have made a much bigger impact. Note this one down in the nightmare segment of Farhad Moshiri’s notebook.

West Ham United have made a surprise out-of-window ‘offer’ to sign Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to reports from Italy.

The Lowdown: Rice on the move?

Reports have suggested that Irons captain Declan Rice could well be on the move this summer as the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea display real interest in the 24-year-old.

Hammers boss David Moyes, who was under mounting pressure before his team sealed an impressive 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the weekend, may have to face the possibility of Rice’s exit soon.

The club captain has made no secret of his desire to compete at the highest level and win silverware, potentially motivating West Ham to shortlist replacements for him.

The Latest: West Ham make Milinkovic-Savic ‘offer’…

According to Calciomercato, the east Londoners have made an out-of-transfer window ‘offer’ to sign Milinkovic-Savic via his representative Mateja Kezman.

The agent has apparently ‘collected’ a bid from West Ham for his client, with the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle also making the same move.

All three clubs have allegedly made €40m (£35m) proposals, with this report adding that Milinkovic-Savic is ‘almost certain’ to say goodbye to Lazio this summer.

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The Verdict: Fantastic player…

A move for the Serbia international would certainly come as both an exciting and an ambitious one from West Ham’s perspective.

As the Premier League relegation battlers potentially contemplate Rice’s eventual heir, we believe that Milinkovic-Savic stands out as an elite candidate.

As per WhoScored, the ‘really top player’ (in the words of Kevin Campbell) stands out as Lazio’s best performer by average match rating this season, ranking in their top three for attempts at goal, key passes made and successful dribbles per 90.

The 28-year-old also ranks highly in terms of defensive metrics such as tackles and interceptions per 90, with Milinkovic-Savic looking like a true all-rounder in midfield.

However, West Ham may well have a battle on their hands to sign the Lazio star, given the level of reported interest in him, and much could depend on how the Irons finish the current campaign.

Everton could reportedly make a €44m (£38.7m) bid to try and sign Udinese duo Beto and Rodrigo Becao.

The Lowdown: January interest

Everton reportedly had a late offer for Beto rejected in the January transfer window, with Udinese feeling that they could sell in July instead.

They were also linked with a late move for Becao, under the condition that Michael Keane would leave, but the Englishman ended up staying put at Goodison Park.

The Latest: Summer swoop?

As per local outlet Udinese Blog, the Merseyside club could make a £38.7m offer to sign both players this summer, which could take shape ‘in the coming weeks’.

Sean Dyche has ‘suggested’ Beto’s name in particular, and is preparing to return for him in the next window after receiving a ‘no’ from Udinese in January.

The Verdict: Reinforcements needed

Of course, there are no guarantees that the Toffees will stay up this season, but if they do, reinforcements will be needed in order to make sure that they are not in the same situation next term.

They have struggled for goals all season, being the joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League with 17, and Beto would certainly help in that regard, having achieved double figures for goals in each of his last three league campaigns, and seven so far in the Serie A with Udinese this term (Transfermarkt).

Becao would improve the team defensively, with the centre-back ranking in the 97th percentile for touches, 96th for tackles and 89th for non-penalty goals of all his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, among other metrics that makes him a complete defender (FBRef).

Nonetheless, both players have the potential to break into the starting line-up under Dyche, and so this is a double deal that the Blues should be seriously considering.

As Newcastle United gear themselves up for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final encounter with Manchester United, one man who will likely be feeling that mix of nerves and excitement more than most is academy graduate, Sean Longstaff, with the North Shields native hoping to help steer his boyhood club to long-awaited glory.

As the 25-year-old has himself admitted, he is simply “living the dream” at present under Magpies boss Eddie Howe, having shaken off a tough spell under former manager Steve Bruce to emerge as a leading figure for the resurgent outfit.

The local lad will almost certainly be handed a starting berth for this weekend’s highly-anticipated meeting at Wembley, with that involvement set to come just under five years on from the midfielder making his senior debut for the club in the competition back in August 2018.

That early impact under Rafa Benitez had seen the towering gem catch the eye of upcoming opponents, Man United, in the summer of 2019, albeit with the Red Devils ultimately walking away from any deal having baulked at the Tynesiders’ reported £50m asking price.

Despite that initial promise, though, the 5 foot 11 machine was subsequently restricted to something of a bit-part role in the years that followed, having never made more than 15 Premier League starts in a single season prior to the beginning of the current campaign.

That lack of action now appears a distant memory for the club’s “unsung hero”, however – as lauded by pundit Tam McManus – with the Englishman having already started 19 league games this season, proving influential in the club’s rampant run of form both in the top-flight and in the cup.

For all the expectancy that Newcastle would simply splash the cash following the change in ownership, it is a testament to the work of Howe that he has more than put his faith in those already at the club, with Longstaff one of the more obvious beneficiaries of the 45-year-old’s appointment.

How much is Longstaff worth?

The playmaker’s rise of late is illustrated by the fact that he is now set to be worth in the region of £16m, according to Football Transfers, with that a rather sizeable sum considering that the £50k-per-week man cost the club nothing to develop him in the youth ranks.

Not that the northeast side will be looking to cash in any time soon, however, with Longstaff currently blossoming in the centre of the park, having scored three goals and provided three assists in 30 games in all competitions this season.

Praised for being “absolutely everywhere” in the midfield by the aforementioned McManus, the one-time Blackpool loanee has showcased his defensive prowess by averaging 1.3 tackles per game in the league this season, while also offering a threat creatively as he laid on five big chances from his 23 top-flight outings.

The relentless gem’s most telling contribution this term, however, came during the semi-final triumph over Southampton last month to help steer his side to the showpiece, having netted twice in the second-leg victory at St James’ Park.

It would no doubt be fitting if Longstaff were to again prove the hero come Sunday, although no matter the outcome of that mouthwatering clash, Newcastle do appear to have struck gold by persisting with the youth product.

Aston Villa could reignite their interest in Southampton talisman James Ward-Prowse this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Ward-Prowse shining for Saints

Saints may be having a season forget currently, sitting rock-bottom of the Premier League, but Ward-Prowse continues to perform at a high level.

The 28-year-old has scored six goals from midfield in the league this season, with his winning free-kick against Chelsea on Saturday taking him one behind David Beckham’s record of 18.

Ward-Prowse has been linked with a move to Villa in the past and their interest doesn’t appear to be going away.

The Latest: Villa eyeing up move

According to Football Insider, the Villans ‘remain keen’ on the midfielder and could make a move this year even if Southampton survive relegation.

It is claimed that Unai Emery wanted to sign a midfielder in January but failed to land Matteo Guendouzi, so he is likely to return to that area of the pitch in the summer transfer window.

The Verdict: Brilliant summer signing

Ward-Prowse could be a brilliant signing by Villa this time around, bringing a combination of technical quality, bite and experience in the middle of the park.

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The 11-cap England international has not only continued to excel at free-kicks this season but he has also averaged 2.1 key passes and 1.7 tackles per game in the league, showing excellence and impact on both sides of the ball.

Should Saints suffer relegation to the Championship, it is surely a given that Ward-Prowse would move on and Emery could see him as the ideal figure to bolster his midfield options.

This is a player who now has 328 Premier League appearances to his name, despite still only being 28 years of age, while Nathan Jones recently described him as ‘absolutely world-class’.

Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus has revealed that his future with the Premier League champions could be decided as early as next week as he considers the next stage of his career.

The Lowdown: Jesus linked with Arsenal

The Brazilian arrived at the Etihad Stadium in a £27m move from Palmeiras in 2016 and he has since gone on to make 236 appearances for the Sky Blues during his time in Manchester so far.

With just over 12 months remaining on his contract, a decision may need to be made this summer as to whether the 25-year-old will remain with City or move elsewhere.

It has recently been reported that top-flight rivals Arsenal are close to agreeing a deal with the forward as they look to replace the departing Alexandre Lacazette, but the Brazil international has now delivered a teasing update on his current situation.

The Latest: Jesus addresses his future

When speaking to reporters following Brazil’s recent 5-1 victory over South Korea (as quoted by Manchester Evening News), Jesus admitted that he is currently reviewing his options and is set to make a final decision on his future soon.

He said: “I’m looking to see what’s best for me and above all, for my career. From Tuesday, we’ll see what is the best.”

The Verdict: Time to move on?

When he initially joined City, the Sao Paulo native unsurprisingly found himself below Sergio Aguero in Pep Guardiola’s pecking order. However, following the Argentine’s departure last year, the 55-cap Brazil international has played a more integral role in leading the attacking line.

This season, the £91k-per-week starlet scored 13 goals and registered 12 assists across all competitions for the English champions (as per Transfermarkt) and was handed 21 top-flight starts, showing that he isn’t just a bit-part player to be used as a substitute and can do an effective job when given the opportunity.

However, with the signing of Borussia Dortmund beast Erling Haaland now confirmed, Jesus is likely to be resigned to a place on the bench next season and could struggle to get as much game-time as he enjoyed in 2021/22. Therefore, he may feel that this summer is the right time for him to leave City and start afresh in a new chapter elsewhere – maybe with the Gunners.

In other news… the Sky Blues are reportedly readying a bid for one of their long-term transfer targets

A big Ibrox development has emerged regarding Rangers and their plans with Ianis Hagi for the upcoming summer transfer window. 

What’s the talk?

Twitter transfer account The 4th Official has confirmed that the Premiership giants will not be cashing in on the winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

They tweeted: “Rangers have zero intention of selling Ianis Hagi. There is a feeling that this is a lowball offer that is done primarily to unsettle the player.”

This comes after reports of a €7m (£6m) bid from Galatasaray in an attempt to snap up the Romanian from Ibrox, with Ross Wilson rejecting the Turkish club’s offer.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be delighted

The Gers head coach will be delighted with this news, as it suggests that Hagi will be at Ibrox come the end of the summer transfer window.

He will be buzzing with Wilson’s reluctance to do a deal for the Romania international, as it shows that the club are willing to stand firm and fight to keep hold of their best players. They will not roll over and allow European suitors to take away their most prized gems without paying a hefty price for them.

Van Bronckhorst can therefore have faith that those making the decisions above him will do what is in the best interests of what happens on the pitch, rather than taking the £6m offer and banking the money to the detriment to the team.

Former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard previously lauded the 23-year-old’s mentality, saying: “We’re really happy with Ianis Hagi, he’s a joy to work with.

“He’s a student of the game. He’s always looking at areas to improve, whether that be from a physical point of view or tactically or technically. He’s someone you have to drag off the training ground.

“Ianis is always in the analyst department too. He’s never out of the gym, so he’s an absolute dream to work with, very low maintenance. We’re delighted with how he is developing and progressing and we’re happy to have him.”

These comments suggest that the midfielder is unlikely to be affected by any mind games at play with Galatasaray’s bid, as he is a hard worker and will not want to cause any issues which may affect his development by agitating for a move.

Hagi’s drive to be the best is also another reason why Van Bronckhorst will be delighted by Rangers’ stance on his situation. The Dutch head coach will surely be excited to work with the midfielder upon his return from injury, as he has shown that he has an appetite to develop and hone his skills.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Souttar: Rangers can seal dream deal by signing 23 y/o “real leader”…

Newcastle United have reportedly now ‘watched’ Brennan Johnson ahead of a potential move this summer.

The Lowdown: Play-off final day

The Toon Army can catch a glimpse of what Johnson can offer at St. James’ Park as he features for Nottingham Forest in the Championship play-off final against Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

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The Wales international has had an outstanding season, scoring 19 goals and making a further nine assists in total over all competitions, and has featured across the whole of the forward line for Steve Cooper’s team (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Newcastle watch

Taking to Twitter, The Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the North East club are one of a number of sides to have ‘watched’ Johnson, but a lot ‘hinges’ on whether Forest can beat Huddersfield:

“Everton eye move for Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, but a lot hinges on Forest fate in play-off final. Newcastle, Leicester, Brentford have also watched 21-yr-old.”

Expanding in his article, Hope added that he is likelier to leave if Forest lose the game, with a £20m fee being mooted.

The Verdict: Sign

Eddie Howe will be hoping for more options in attack come the start of the new campaign, and Johnson would certainly be a valuable addition to his squad.

Dubbed a ‘different animal‘ on the pitch by Paul Bodin, who worked with him when in charge of Wales’ U19s and later with the U21s, and a player who makes defenders ‘panic’ by former Premier League manager Alex McLeish, the 21-year-old could provide the same threat on the opposite wing as Allan Saint-Maximin does on the left.

Nonetheless, they could form a deadly duo capable of truly terrorising any top-flight side’s backline.

In other news, find out who PIF are now ‘ready’ to sign for NUFC here!